Krum, Malfoy and the Mudblood
by Solid Script
Summary: Set in their fourth year. Dumbledore tells the houses to pretend to be friends for Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, and when Krum shows signs of liking Hermione...Draco steps in for Krums own good. Or so he says.
1. Chapter 1

**First HP story. I am a MAJOR Dramione fan. If there was a story like this before I'm sorry. It's going to be a mix of storytelling and POV's.**

**This is a tester chapter. Please don't tell me facts or wrong or whatever, this is my version of events.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, nope nope. Not owned by me.**

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**_Chapter 1_**

Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry stood in front of his students on their first day of term. Slytherins, Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs all stared up at him, waiting for his final announcement before their guests from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons arrive.

"Students," their Headmaster began. Making some students jump. "I won't beat around the bush. I believe that our friends from afar do not have houses which seperate them. But alas, we do. Unfortunately some students..." Dumbledore paused and looked at the Slytherin table when he said this. "...do not try and help our seperation, we seperate more rather than less. I ask of you all to make more effort to get along while our guests are here. I am not ashamed of you, I only wish this task will help us all get along in the future. The last thing I ask of you is, please do not let our guests know. Our heads of houses wish to see how well you can convince our friends. As do I."

The students of Hogwarts looked around the hall. Draco Malfoy looked over at the Gryffindor table, just like Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley looked at the Slytherin table. All thinking, "You honestly expect me to get along with _them_?"

"Now!" Dumbledore said a little louder than usual, snapping all the students out of their thoughts. "Our guests are arriving."

Durmstrang arrived first, most boys were annoyed to see that nearly all the girls were staring at Viktor Krum, the hero who had caught the snitch but lost in the Quidditch world cup. All except Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Pansy Parkinson and Hannah Abbot.

The tables turned when Beauxbatons arrived. Hermione had to hit Ron over the head with her book. Ginny found this very funny until one of the Beauxbaton girls tried to catch Harry's eye. The youngest Weasley glared at the girl and Harry. Naturally Harry being Harry he didn't notice.

Later on, after all the guests had taken their seats in the Great Hall. Dumbledore started to speak again. But Viktor Krum wasn't listening, he was too busy staring at a bushy haired Gryffindor girl.

"Vat is her name?" He whispered to Draco, who was sitting next to him. Draco thought Krum was an amazing Quidditch player, but couldn't help thinking he was extremely dim. How was he supposed to know who Krum was talking about. He tried to look where Krum was looking but Krum had turned to him. Draco's face suddenly became confused. Viktor noticed and sighed and pointed at Hermione. "Her! Vith the bushy hair. Sitting next to za redhead boy."

**Draco's POV**

My brain went into overdrive. All I had to hear was 'Bushy Hair' and 'Next to redhead boy' to know it was the Mudblood Granger. Krum cannot be intrested in her! She's...well...a Mudblood! But I can't tell him that. It'll make me seem against them, okay, maybe I am but what if he's not? Plus there's that stupid old crackpot Dumbledore's rule. Oh Merlin! What do I say?

"Well...uh...her name...Hermione Granger." Krum mumbled her name (very badly) and kept staring at her. I can't let this happen, my Quidditch idol can't be with a Mudblood! This is for your own good Krum...

"She's with me!"

Krum, Crabbe and Goyle stared at me. Goyle spoke first. "Since when Draco? We never knew that!"

Krum rose his eyebrows. "Zis is not za truth?"

I glared at Goyle. "It is the truth. It's just really recent and I haven't had time to tell them yet." Crabbe and Goyle looked completely demented trying to work it out. The subject was left alone until after the feast and Krum was going back to the ship with the other Durmstrang students.

"Looks like ve are competition." Krum laughed and left the castle. I forced a laugh too. The door closed and I frantically searched the entrance hall. I was in luck as the only people left were Potter, the Weasel, and the Mudblood. Potter and Granger trying to pull Weasley back to the Grand staircase. Maybe he wanted an autograph for Krum. It'd be worth more than their house.

"Granger!" I shouted. All three of them turned to look at me. "Over here...I need to talk to you!" She rolled her eyes and started to go up the stairs, Potter and Weasley following closely behind. "Oh come on! This is important!" I shouted again. She said something to the other two and walked over to me.

"What?" She whispered angrily. For a second I forgot what I was going to say. Not what you think! She...uh...scared me a bit. Yeah that's it.

"Well, uh...funny story really. When you think about it I did it for your own good. You see, Krum kinda likes you a bit but I don't think you'd like that kind of person and he's pretty dim so he wouldn't understand what you go on about half the time so I thought that I had to do something so I told him I was with you and I know it was stupid but I'm guessing he's not the kind of guy to just give up so I had to tell him something like that and I had to say it quickly so I said something random. So if anyone from Durmstrang asks, we're together. Okay? Bye!" I whispered urgently and quickly. Then ran off to the dungeons.

"What! Malfoy come back here right now! Malfoy!" I laughed silently to myself. Now she's the one who wants to talk to me.

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**Please review if I should continue. As far as I remember this is the first time I've so much as tried storytelling instead of POV.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to my reviewers! **

**Disclaimer: Never owned it. Never will.**

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Chapter 2

**Hermione's POV**

Malfoy disappeared from view. Shouting was no use. I was frozen on the spot. Then I really started to think. Why on earth would Viktor Krum be intrested in me? And why would Malfoy want to 'help me?'

"Hermione?" Harry said, shaking my shoulder. "Are you okay? What did he say? You sounded angry."

"Angry? She completely lost her head mate!" Ron laughed. But he was glaring in Malfoy's direction. Obviously thinking he'd mentioned 'Mudblood'. I didn't say anything, I just stalked off to the common room. They understood. All would be explained in the morning...when I wasn't ready to rip the head off anybody who said Malfoy's name.

**Draco's POV**

"...So any questions?" I asked the rest of the common room. Assuming Krum asked them what was really going on, they would now have an appropriate answer.

"Just one. Have you lost your mind? You do know there were about a million other excuses right?" Blaise asked. Eyebrows raised.

"I panicked. I can't change what I said believe it or not!" I hissed. Plus Granger will be forced to spend time with me which will be hilarious.

"Wait a second! When where you lying? Dinner or now? I'm confused." Crabbe frowned.

"That's a shock." Muttered Pansy unkindly. Whether it was aimed at me or Crabbe I don't know. A huge burst of voices erupted. But this was a typical night in the Slytherin Common Room. Not the 'me pretending to date a Mudblood thing' obviously. Just finding something to insult someone about. Astoria Greengrass was suprisingly quiet.

"You know what? I'm going to bed. Maybe I'll get some peace and quiet there if I'm lucky!" I shouted above the noise.

I wasn't lucky. Some prat in first year set off a dungbomb downstairs so strong I could smell it so easily from up here. I can only imagine what it's like down there. Blocking it out with my thoughts didn't help. One half of my thoughts was dreading the year ahead. A quarter was wondering what was up with Astoria. The rest was wondering if Krum would still be friendly tommorow.

But an extremely small bit was cheering about what I'd gotton into.

**The next day...**

**Hermione's POV **

I woke up cheerful about my dream. Not entirely sure what it was though. Unfortunatley what was ahead today was not a dream (Or nightmare).

Harry and Ron were the first people I saw when I came out of the girls dorm. They saw me too. And ran over immediatley.

"How early did you two get up? You look very awake for 7am. Which is like 3am for you two." Hopefully they'll forget...Please forget...

Harry grinned. "You can't get around us that easily Hermione. What happened?" So I went over exactly what Malfoy said. Word for word. Not that I...uh...was paying close attention...psh...no way I just have a good memory.

The boys were wide eyed. Ron spoke first, but with pure hate in his voice, I was praying it wasn't for me. "I hope you told that bastard where to go!"

"He ran off before I got the chance."

"Then tell him at breakfast."

"No, Krum will probably be with him."

"So?"

"So! Have you not been listening?"

"Of course I have! You can tell Krum no, you know Hermione! You don't need that pathetic little ferret to protect you!"

"Protect me? You think I asked for this?"

"By the way your defending him. I'm starting to think so!"

"Ronald Weasley you lit-"

"BOTH OF YOU!" Harry shouted directly in our ears. Then he looked at me. "To be honest. I think that Malfoy has had a bit of a thing for you since you hit him."

Ron's face was blank and I'm sure mine mirrored. Harry sighed.

"The world cup! He was casual about it but he told us to get you out of there. Remember Hermione? He's been talking to you more aswell. He never really spoke to you until then! Now this! I really doubt it's a coincidence." Ron and I remained silent. Both our brains in overdrive.

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**What do you think? I was doing this for about an hour. Most of it coming up with the begining.**

**Please Review. You'll be my friend...( I won't promise _best_ Friend because I have WAY too many of those.)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Woah. I think I will die. I am VERY happy! Thank you EVERYONE!**

**I took icedpandacookies review to heart and decided to make this a POV story. It's easier for me to write like that. Thanks dude! (Dude is always something that I can't stop saying, to everyone.)**

**Disclaimer: Hedwig says no.**

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** DPOV**

When I arrived at breakfast the first thing I saw was Potter and the Weasel glaring at me. Along with some of the Slytherin's. I ignored them all and sat in my usual seat, which Krum was next to. He frowned when he saw me.

"I do not vunderstand..." He muttered loud enough for me to hear him.

"What?" I asked.

"Otzer students sitting on otzer house tables. Vhy is dis not ze case with zou and Herm-" He struggled "Zour girlfriend?"

"Oh! Um... we uh...decided that it would be more comfortable to spend more time with friends than each-other at meal times. Yeah, that's it!"

Krum calculated it in his head then smiled. "So I vill see zou two together during ze lesson break?" Oh Merlin!

"Uh yeah sure." Good thing we have potions first...

**Hermione's POV**

"...Are you trying to burn the school down Longbotton?" Snape shouted at Neville. Why is Neville always the one picked on even vaguely as much as Harry? Neville stammered a reply as an enchanted paper airplane hit my head. I turned around and Malfoy raised his eyebrows, signaling to read it. Being an 'insufferable know-it-all' as Snape calls it, I knew better than to open it when Snape was around. I just prayed the whole thing had been called off.

After Snape walked away to have a go at Lavender Brown. I read the airplane:

_I think Krum's suspicious. He thinks we're going to be spending time together at break. Any ideas? _I rolled my eyes and wrote a reply. Why am I always the one who has to have the ideas?

_**Krum's an idiot as you happened to mention last night. Come up with an excuse, he's apparantly gullible enough.**_

Malfoy frowned. _He may be smarter than I thought, or at least observant._

**_If he's so observant than he'll realise we know next to nothing about each-other apart from blood status._**

_I know you read a lot!_

**_Oh well done genius! It took Harry and Ron almost a day to figure that out._**

_Stop being an arrogant Mudblood!_

**_How many times are you going to call me a Mudblood before you realise I don't care?_**

_You don't? Damn it! I've wasted many insult oppritunities! _I giggled a bit but didn't let Malfoy see. Ron looked suspicious but Harry just looked at Malfoy knowingly. I say Harry's insane about this 'Liking' business.

_**Anyway! You've just proved you know pretty much nothing about me!**_ Malfoy glared at the piece of paper and scribbled angrily.

_Fine! You win! Do you have a free period next?_

**_Yes why?_**

_Because that's not break, we can work on convincing Krum!_

**_One question. Where are we going to do that? We aren't the only students who have a free period!_**

_I might know a place..._

**_Why does that worry me?_**

_Don't. My parents told me about a place called the Room of Requirement. We could practise in there._

**_Practise? What is this? A stage show?_**

_Feels like it. Acting like we like each-other._

**_You know what a stage show is?_**

_No I'm guessing._

**_Do you even know where this room is?_**

_Somewhere on the seventh floor..._

**_Pathetic Pureblood._**

_Filthy Mudblood._

**_Whatever..._**

Malfoy shoved the now worn out plane into his pocket as Snape came to inspect his couldron.

"What was that about?" Ron asked.

"How long do you have?"

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I** know it's short! I'm sorry! I wrote it as I went along and wanted to end it there. **

**PLEASE REVIEW I ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON WHO CLARIFIED THEY ARE MY FRIEND!**


	4. Chapter 4

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**Sorry I am a terrible person. Haven't updated and my only excuse is that I bought a pet chicken and it ran away...**

**But that would be lying.**

**Disclaimer: Even the Room of Requirement couldn't get me this.**

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HPOV

Malfoy is such an idiot. Seventh floor is all I know and he's disappeared, that is the intelligence of a pureblood. Ron inculded.

Speaking of Ron, he and Harry are now 'helping' me find the room. But in my opinion it's stalking. Harry seems way too into this and Ron seems way too against it. Harry was running along every wall trying to find one that felt hollow. While Ron was trying to talk me out of the plan.

"I said it earlier and I'll say it again. Malfoy is a stupid little ferret and you don't need him protecting you. Harry and I can do that if you want. Personally I only agree with the fact that you and Krum aren't well suited together but Malfoy shouldn't be the one to judge that."

"And neither should you Ronald."

"I'm not, I'm just stating my opinion. Not taking action against Krum like Malfoy is."

"Why are you so against this?"

"As far as I knew you were too."

"I am."

"Then act like it."

"I can't, what if someone from Durmstrang was around?"

"Tell them to kick Malfoy where it hurts."

Harry groaned and walked back to us, "I can't find anything. And Ron you aren't really helping, you know! Complaining won't solve anything. There are two ways out. One, Hermione or Malfoy come clean and they are both mocked forever. Or two, they pretend until Durmstrang are gone and go back to hating each-other. Well, on Hermione's part anyway." Harry smirked.

I rolled my eyes, "Are you ever going to let that stupid little daydream go?"

"When I'm proved right," Harry laughed.

Then Ron screamed.

"What?" Harry and I asked. Ron pointed at a door that I swear wasn't there before. It was ajar and there were spiders pouring out of it. Harry and I sent simple stunning spells at them and they disappeared into midair. We turned back to Ron but he looked frozen solid. Harry rolled his eyes.

"I think I'll take him back to the common room. Good luck." Then Harry started to drag Ron along the corridor.

I only took one more step and then I heard Malfoy.

"There you are! You took your time, we only have half an hour left and if..." Malfoy trailed off at the cold look on my face. He was standing in the doorway of the spiders.

"Let me guess, that's the room. And you needed to get rid of the other two so you sent the spiders."

Malfoy smirked, "Two out of three I'm afraid. But close. The room sent the spiders and I heard a scream and came out. So Weasel is afraid of spiders even as small as that, huh..."

"Don't even think about it!" But I couldn't help laughing.

"Alright, I've learnt something. You laugh at one of your best friends behind his back." Malfoy smirked again and walked into the room.

"No I don't! He's just not in my good books at the moment." Only when I said it I started to realise it was true. Ron hadn't been supportive at all. He can't seem to see things even half the way Harry does.

Suprisingly though, through the half hour I spent learning about Malfoy, I had enjoyed myself. Malfoy seemed too of aswell because he laughed the most. At himself though. Not once at me unless I meant it to be a joke. Then we both realised something.

We now had to face Krum.

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**Once again, short I know but I have to update now or I'll totally forget. Plus, I have homework due in tomorow and if I don't do it I'll get an hours detention.**

**Please review and if it has to be bad. Please give me a reason WHY it's bad. Thank you for taking time to read this (not that you have much choice.)**


	5. Chapter 5

**New Chapter. I know you don't want to hear my excuses but you're going to anyway. An alien abducted my block of cheese and I had to fight marshans but they ate the cheese so then I got depressed and couldn't write. And then I started watching Fairy Tail and it became a new sort of drug and it's all I can think of scenarios for. But now I'm back...don't hurt me...**

**Disclaimer: DO NOT OWN ANY OF THIS! WELL APART FROM THE STORY ITSELF!**

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**HPOV**

Malfoy and I walked together towards the boathouse, where Malfoy had found out Krum spent most of his free time. My hands started getting clammy. I prayed to Merlin Krum didn't question why we weren't holding hands...

As we passed through the courtyard we recieved glares from the Gryffindors and Slytherins, but laughs from Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Fred and George shook their heads, they'll be plotting Malfoy's death later probably. Sometimes I hate being like a family member to the Weasleys...Wait! Did I just think that? I _want_ Malfoy dead! Right? Right?

Someone say right...

**DPOV**

Bloody traitors! Why are they glaring at me? They know it's all fake! My fists were clenched, it took all I had not to go strangle Blaise, who was currently the only Slytherin laughing. I grabbed Grangers shoulder and dragged her away as quickly as I could. I expected her to yell at me but she didn't say a word, not even when we got to the boathouse. Krum looked up at the sound of footsteps and smiled at us. Mostly Granger though.

"Hey Viktor..." I said. Not trying to hide I knew where he was but yet not really caring about him being there.

"Draco, Herm- uh..." I rolled my eyes, how many times is this dude going to need someone to repeat her name? Not that hard, HER-MI-O-NE Hermione! Not that bloody dificult.

"Hermione." Granger offered. She didn't seem too happy about this either. Krum smiled gratefully.

"Zat's it...zo how are zou?" He asked Hermione. Then they got into a conversation. Krum was really starting to annoy me, especially now as Granger seemed to be warming up to him. Laughing...joking...it made me jealous. Yes I admit it. I'm jealous. But only because it was exactly how I was getting on with her earlier. After half an hour of this I'd had enough.

"Well it was great to see you Krum, really. We should do this again sometime but class is going to start soon so we must be going." I didn't wait for an answer, I grabbed Grangers hand (accidentally) and dragged her back to the castle. But when we got to the entrance (all the other students had gone inside) she pulled her hand out of my grasp.

"What do you think you're doing? Class doesn't start for another half hour! I was having a good conversation with him! You don't have the right t-"

I was tempted to say 'You had a nice conversation with me too but you couldn't wait to get away.' but I didn't, instead I said "I've told you already! He likes you, I'll bet anything that conversation isn't what was on his mind! I'm just trying to protect you here!" I yelled.

Hermione didn't show any emotion. "You think I can't look after myself?" She whispered. Then laughed, a cold cruel one I hadn't heard from her before. "You think I need protecting from him? I can't believe I'm saying this but Ron was right. You're a stupid little ferret and I don't want to play you're little game anymore." Then she walked inside. Probably to her common room.

I wandered aimlessly around the dungeons. How would I tell Krum? Admit the sham? No, there's even more chance he'll go after her then because he doesn't need to worry about 'rushing into a relationship after a breakup.' Then I considered him _planning_ this... but he wouldn't have the brains.

**HPOV**

I hate him! Just as I started to think he was sort of a good guy. He acted like it was a criminal offense to be friends with Krum! I hate him, I hate him! I hate...no...I don't, I don't hate him. I hate that Ron was right about this whole thing, but that's close enough. If I hated him I wouldn't be crying in the library, would I? I wiped my eyes and picked up 'Hogwarts, a history.' The book always had a way of calming me down. Then I heard girlish giggles and looked in that direction, irritated.

Krum walked in with his swarm of fan girls. I turned back to my book and glared at it. Had I honestly had an argument with Malfoy because I was talking to that? I don't get Malfoys point, he has all these fan girls...

Why of all people? Did he like me?

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**Extremely short I'm sorry but I need to revise as my dad says if I don't get a 7 at the end of this school year he's moving me to a school I hate the idea of. I like my school and friends. So I have to study if I want to stay with them...**


	6. Chapter 6

**It. Has. Been. Two. Years.**  
**That is such a scary thought...to be honest, I completely forgot about this story until I got a review from nightskyandglowinglanterns. So this one is for you.**

Disclaimer: Hasn't changed in two years, I still don't own Harry Potter or it's characters...

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DPOV

She stormed out of Potions again. Without a word.  
  
What did I expect? For this all to go perfectly? Fat chance, Granger already hated me enough already. Having not spoken in two days probably isn't helping the situation, but what am I supposed to say? 'Oi Granger! Quit ignoring me so we can pretend to be a couple again!'? Not likely.

Not to mention Krum is badgering me, 'Vhy aren't you being vith your girlfriend?' which quickly developed to 'Have zhe two of you ended zhings?'

Which to me, is translating to '_I win'_.

HPOV

The library is no longer a safe haven, no longer my quiet escape. _He _is always there. So naturally, so are his squealing fangirls. I caught him looking over at me a few times, he tried to look apologetic but the glee was pretty evident. That look, above all else, is what made me avoid the library at all costs. He clearly thinks Malfoy and I have broken up because of him.

We haven't. You can't end what never started. But Viktor Krum doesn't need to know that. The more he disrupts my peace, the more I want to speak to Malfoy again and restart this charade.

Unfortunately, that isn't much of an option either, I still haven't forgiven him. I _can_ protect myself thank you very much. Though I was slightly irritated when Ron gave me a victorious speech about how he was right and the genius Hermione Granger was wrong. That in itself almost made me run straight down to the dungeon and demand to see Malfoy, but I still have my pride.

Harry is finding all of this pretty amusing, he's about the only boy I willingly spend time around now and he uses that time to point out all the ways Ron, Krum and Malfoy are trying to get back on my good side. I can't help but feel he's making most of them up though, and I quickly found that a good way to shut him up was to mention Cho Chang. He quickly found a new subject to over-analyse. Luckily, Ginny is never around when I use this tactic, it would break the poor girl to hear what he had to say.

Anyway, all of this adds up to why I'm currently sitting by the lake. It's the only soothing place I have left. Although yesterday, Malfoy found me here and seemed to debate between staying to talk to me and running for his life, like a good ferret.

He chose to be a ferret, which I was _very _thankful for.

DPOV

"You might as well forget it."

"It's none of your business Blaise."

My so-called friend decided he'd spend my third day of exasperation teasing me about my current situation. That I could get any Slytherin girl I wanted, possibly in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff too, but I was spending my time worried about a Gryffindor Mudblood.

Proves how much he knows. I'm not worried, I simply wish she'd speak to me. An insult, just one word, anything!

"Just tell Krum _you_ ended it. It'll make you seem less pathetic." Blaise laughed. I seriously want to hex him.

"Do you really not understand my situation, you moron? I can't do that. The whole idea is that he stays away from her, not that I give him a reason to be near her."

"I thought the whole idea was you keeping her to yourself because you'd get jealous?" Blaise winked and nudged me.

I rolled my eyes and pushed him further from me, standing up and admittedly, slightly raising my voice. "Where the hell did you get that idea? I've made it clear from the start about what I'm trying to do, but all you do is to try to make it that little bit harder for me. Do me a favour and piss off." And with that, I walked out of the common room, not wanting to hear what he had to say.

Out of nowhere, I crashed into someone who seemed to have a brown bush resting on their head. I didn't say a word.

She seemed to be debating copying my tactic, but she lifted her head and looked me straight in the eyes "Malfoy."

I let out a sigh of relief. There. One word. It made me feel so much better. She was talking to me, she wasn't angry anymore. Or not as angry. The look in her eyes however, told another story.

"I'm still mad at you. And I don't intend to make up any time soon. Or at least, act like before." She began, "But I've been thinking, and this is stupid. All it's doing is making Krum more and more suspicious, drawing his own conclusions. The least I could do is openly show my irritation, then it would seem more like a couple simply arguing."

Snapping back to my former self, I retorted "I thought you didn't want to play my 'little game' anymore?"

Hermione remained calm "I don't, but it can't be helped. All Krum is doing is interrupting my quiet and it seems the further I pull from you, the more he just hangs around. I can't read in peace anymore."

I smirked and leaned against the dungeon wall "So you want to be my girlfriend again because you can't _read in peace_? Honestly Granger, that sounds slightly desperate."

Her eyes flashed dangerously "_Fake _girlfriend Malfoy. Contrary to your obvious belief, none of this is real. And I am _not _desperate! You're the one that's been following me for two days trying to build the nerve to talk to me."

Damn, she'd noticed that? Well, I hadn't exactly been following her, it was more of an inner argument whenever I saw her, which often resulted in my eyes following her every movement before deciding I didn't exactly want to die just yet.

"Delusional as always Granger. Now if you can bear being away from me after two days without my presence, I need to talk to Blaise. He needs help with his schoolwork. See you, 'love'." I chuckled and turned to return the way I came, fully intending to talk to Blaise again, but about something completely different to stupid schoolwork. If that asshole can go without mocking me again.

Maybe I shouldn't tell him.

HPOV

I rolled my eyes as Malfoy left and began to wander back to the Gryffindor common room. The only way I would class myself as desperate, is that I am desperate to get my quiet place in the library back. There is absolutely no other reason. I'm not desperate to prove Ron wrong, though that is a plus. I'm not desperate to stop listening to Harry talk about Cho, though I feel I could stand to hear less about her apparent perfection.

And I am certainly not desperate to talk to Malfoy again. That would just be mad.

"Hermione, where were you?" Ron asked as I entered, "I've been waiting to play Wizards Chess, thought we could have a nice, friendly game cause we're you know, friends."

"Wizards Chess is _never _a friendly game. It's barbaric, Ronald."

"You just don't want to play cause I can beat you every time." Ron teased, then he shrugged and looked down "We could do something else if you want. I don't mind, you pick. Though please, don't say homework."

I was about to give him a lecture about how important homework was to our lessons and therefore our futures, but then he raised his head with a slightly hopeful look on his face and I couldn't help but smile softly. He was trying so hard to put things right between us.

"I'll give you _one _game of Wizards Chess. Just one."

Ron grinned and set up the pieces and I sat down opposite him. Fred and George sat down next to us and began a running commentary, which is what I eventually blamed for my loss. A bad excuse, but it works.

Later, Ron and I were sitting on the couch, talking about the upcoming Triwizard tournament and who'd be chosen by the goblet to compete. As Ron mentioned Krum for Durmstrang, I grew tense again and began to think.

Ron was being this way not only because he wanted to make up for his overall behaviour, but also that he simply wouldn't have to deal with my 'decision' anymore. Now that Draco is supposedly out of the picture, he feels comfortable again. I suddenly felt I'd betrayed one of my best friends and I needed to set things straight.

"Hermione," Ron began before I could say a word, "it's great to be talking again, don'tcha think? I mean, I missed you." He thought about his words for a second and added "Yeah, w-we're friends right?"

I forced a smile "As strange as it seems, I missed you too Ronald." I can't do this to him. He can't know about it.

I can't tell him.

* * *

**Phew, done.** **Sorry if the characters seemed different, it has been two years after all.**

**Throughout writing this, I repeatedly listened to 'I Just Wanna Be Mad' by Terri Clark. I love it and it kinda links ^.^**

**Please review and let me know whether it's worth continuing after so long.**


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